GOP nicely slammed president

The 2012 Republican National Convention is history, and while it's too early to know what effect it will have on the November elections, it will be remembered as one of the more unusual political gatherings - delayed by the possibility of a hurricane, ended with a conversation with an empty chair.

Nominee Mitt Romney's goal was twofold: He had to energize and excite his base while trying to win over the people who will decide the election, the undecideds and voters unaffiliated with neither of the two major parties.

The party walked a fine line between being harsh on President Barack Obama and pointing out from its view that Obama made a lot of promises that he did not keep.

The plan was to kill him with kindness.

"Our problem with President Obama isn't that he's a bad person," said U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, who was talked about as a vice presidential nominee. "By all accounts he, too, is a good husband, and a good father, and thanks to lots of practice, a pretty good golfer. Our problem is he's a bad president."

Romney sought to turn the president's message of "hope and change" against him. "Tonight I'd ask a simple question. If you felt that excitement when you voted for Barack Obama, shouldn't you feel that way now that he's President Obama now?"

It was laid out as a failure of leadership. That's a point the Obama people can agree on and use against the Republicans, if they choose. The president's campaign could point out that one of the reasons Obama was not able to deliver on all his promises is that the leadership in the Republican-controlled House blocked him at every turn.

One of those House leaders is vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan, hardly the new guy on the block. He is the chairman of the budget committee. Congress has an approval rating of about 9 percent and Ryan has been there for 14 years.

One thing not discussed much was the party's platform, which includes a ban on abortions and a stand against same-sex marriage.

Of special interest to New Jerseyans was the keynote speech by Gov. Chris Christie. Immediately afterwards people who don't care much for him and his politics in general were quick to pounce, saying Christie spent too much time talking about himself. Days later they were still discussing it.

The last night, shortly before Romney spoke, actor Clint Eastwood took the stage for a bit that looked out-of-place to veteran convention followers. He started by pointing to a prop, an empty chair to his left, and said there sat an invisible Obama. That was weird aplenty but he went on to have a one-sided conversation that included off-color references many felt were inappropriate for the setting. Beyond that it was a rambling and sometimes bizarre talk.

Some of the delegates asked about it later didn't seem to mind or even see the unusual nature of an actor and a chair taking on the president. One of the people who had to be happy about this was Christie - because the critics now had a new speech to dissect.

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GOP nicely slammed president

The 2012 Republican National Convention is history, and while it's too early to know what effect it will have on the November elections, it will be remembered as one of the more unusual political